Made Over
by Twitcher
Summary: Not much is going for Roxas right now. He's a complete mess. And he has a crush on a popular redhead. Can Namine pull a complete transformation?
1. Chapter 1

_A little story for Axel and Roxas. Again. Honestly, if math weren't so boring I wouldn't have all these distracting little ideas floating around the void that is my head. This whole thing has been written and I'm planning on putting up a chapter when nothing else is happening with my other stories. It's not going to be all that long but I hope you'll enjoy it._

_**Disclaimer**__: Characters? Mine? On a fanfiction site? Oddly enough I don't own them._

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Roxas never felt that he was all that much to look at. He never quite got around to getting a haircut and his older siblings always got to the hair gel first in the morning so his hair always flopped into his eyes, looking untidy and lank. He could never find his contacts so his dirty, cracked glasses hid his eyes from view. He never got enough sleep due to his older sister Larxene and his older brothers Sora and Cloud constantly yelling at each other, their boyfriends, tax collectors, or various household appliances so he was always yawning with dark shadows under his eyes. He had no parents to help him do his laundry and none of his siblings were any use so his clothes were always wrinkled and dirty. He was incredibly clumsy so he was always covered in bruises, grazes, cuts, bandages and band-aids. He was also painfully shy and quiet.

And just as though to put the icing on the cake of his misery he had a major crush on the most popular redhead in school.

Axel.

He often told himself off for this little secret of his. Axel had never shown any interest in anyone at school and Roxas felt that he had absolutely no chance with him.

Roxas felt as though a good puff of wind would blow him away and nobody would even notice.

He had managed to find a niche in school for himself. He didn't talk to anybody and they didn't bother him. He would eat lunch behind the gym and spend his free periods and breaks in the fantasy section of the library. He turned in all his homework papers and did extra work, getting high grades and good reports.

And he hated every minute of it.

He knew that the person he was wasn't exactly him. Ever since his parents passed away the real him had been pushed down and compressed until his body was too big for the small marble-sized ball that was his soul.

But he never did anything about it.

That was probably why he dragged himself out of bed at the last possible minute after deciding whether to bother or not. He always got up in the end and was never late for school.

He staggered to the bathroom where the door hit him in the face as Larxene banged it shut. He rubbed his forehead where a nice bruise was sure to show up later and turned around to try and get to the kitchen for breakfast.

"Oopsh. Shorry Roshas," Sora said around a mouthful of the last slice of toast.

An inspection of the cupboards revealed that today was Friday. Friday being shopping day. This meant that there was nothing else to eat. Roxas sighed and went back upstairs to see if the bathroom was free.

Thank God it was. He leapt into the shower and lathered his hair with a bar of soap, as there was no shampoo. He rinsed his hair then hopped out, wrapped a towel around his waist and padded down to his room again in search of clean clothes that would occasionally materialize when Larxene either bought new ones or actually bothered doing some laundry.

He found clean underwear, a pair of jeans that he hadn't been aware existed but no shirt. He pulled on the clothes he had, abandoning the towel on his floor and wandered down to Sora's room.

Sora and Roxas were twins. Sora was older, louder, taller and confident. Roxas wasn't. It was amusing though as they had been born before and after midnight. This meant that Sora had been born on a Saturday while Roxas had been born on Sunday so they at least got their own birthday to themselves.

Sora did have some clean shirts so he grabbed a plain black shirt and a pair of striped socks.

He checked the clock in Sora's room, which stood beside a picture of Sora, Roxas, Namine, Kairi and Riku. That picture had been taken before the accident that killed their parents and Sora and Roxas had been practically joined at the hip. Namine had only been on the islands as a tourist and had left a week after that picture had been taken. Roxas examined his old self. Sparkling azure eyes, spikey blonde hair and a crooked grin.

He needed to put his glasses on; when an earth had he ever really looked like that?

He sighed and stomped down the stairs into the hall where Cloud was leaning against the wall, car keys in hand and an impatient expression on his face.

"Morning Rox."

"Mmm," Roxas said in his standard greeting.

"Did you actually eat today?"

"Mmm."

Cloud sighed gustily and watched his brother try to put his glasses on without poking himself in the eye.

Ten minutes later they were all speeding towards school, Cloud driving as recklessly as he could, Larxene moaning about some teacher, Sora chattering about something that nobody really wanted to listen to on fear of their I.Q being dragged down a few notches and Roxas had one hand over his sore left eye.

As far as mornings go Roxas felt that this one had been one of the better ones.

When they got to school Roxas fell out of the car, grazing his knees again. Sora helped him up and shook his head.

"Honestly Roxas. Don't you have any balance? Maybe if you cut your hair you could see where you're going."

"Mmm."

Sora rolled his eyes and scuttled off to find Riku, leaving Roxas to check his knees and stick the band-aids he always kept in his pockets on. They stung a bit but he carried on up the stairs to the school.

"I heard there's a new girl coming today."

"Halfway through the term?"

"Yeah, strange isn't it?"

Roxas heard the gossip but didn't really care. Just another person to ignore.

He reached his homeroom class and sat in his seat. Last seat of the back row in the corner by the window. Best seat in the room.

Other people came in and sat down. A blonde guy named Hayner never seemed to be anywhere without Pence and Olette. They always looked pretty happy. Before the accident Roxas had been on pretty good terms with them. They had tried reaching through to him at the start of the year but he had just pushed them away. He didn't really like people anymore. Except Axel really.

The whole class had assembled. The seat next to Roxas was empty as usual. Zexion had been moved up a class so obviously he didn't sit there anymore.

Their teacher Xigbar who was an ex pro surfer and a gym teacher slouched into the room as usual. However he preceded a girl who was awfully familiar if rather different from when Roxas had last seen her.

"Hey little dudes," Xigbar drawled. "This here is Namine. She's like, your new classmate."

Namine waved. "Hi everyone!"

"Go sit in that spare seat by… That depressing blonde kid," Xigbar said absently. Xigbar was famous for forgetting names and often referred to students with rather blunt descriptions of them.

Namine sat down and looked at Roxas curiously but evidently didn't recognize him and got dragged into a conversation with Olette.

Roxas made a slightly amused noise. She hadn't even recognized him and yet she had written to him for weeks until he'd stopped replying.

When lunch finally dragged by Roxas had fallen over twice and been hit in the face by someone's locker door. He also found that he'd forgotten his lunch money.

He sat in the fantasy section of the library and watched the people outside. He could see Namine talking to Axel. He became aware of a slight twist of jealousy in his abdomen.

When the bell rang he left the library just as Namine was rounding the corner. He tripped on the last few steps and fell onto the hard concrete ground.

"Oh!" Namine cried and ran towards the rather scruffy boy lying on the ground. "Are you alright? Here let me get these for you," she said and picked up his glasses.

She helped him to his feet and was just handing over his glasses when a breeze lifted the hair that flopped over Roxas's face away slightly, allowing Namine to glimpse his eyes. She knew those blue eyes.

"Oh my God! Roxas?!"

"Mmm."

"What on earth happened to you? Sora told me what happened to your parents but I always thought he was exaggerating about you!"

"Mmm."

It was then that Axel just had to show up.

"Hey Namine! Oh, hey there little buddy, fall over again?"

Roxas blushed. "M-mm."

Axel flashed him his cheeky grin. "Sorry buddy, I don't speak Mmm."

Roxas said nothing.

Namine shook her head. "You don't even talk anymore? Honestly Roxas, I'm not standing for this. Meet me here after school. If you don't come I will hunt you down okay?"

"Mmm."

Axel laughed and he and Namine left, leaving Roxas to shuffle off to his last class.

During his math class he wondered on whether he was going to meet Namine after school. Eventually he decided he would because he didn't particularly want to be hunted down. Namine was more than capable of doing something like that.

He just wished Axel hadn't been there. What if he thought Namine was asking him out? That was just embarrassing.

When the bell finally rang he trudged to the library steps and sat on the railing. He was deep in his own thoughts when Namine showed up.

"Hi Roxas!"

He hadn't been expecting that so he fell backwards off the railing into the bushes on the other side.

Namine sighed and helped him out. "I don't remember you being this clumsy Roxas. Or this gloomy."

"Mmm."

She rolled her eyes. "Come on. I have lots of work to do. No, _we_ have lots of work to do."

Roxas wondered what she meant by that.

After telling Cloud that she was borrowing Roxas for the weekend she dragged him back to her place.

"Mom! Look who I found!" Namine yelled, pulling Roxas into the kitchen.

"Oh? Who's this young man?" Namine's mom Aerith asked.

"It's Roxas!"

"My Lord, Roxas?" Aerith cried looking at the shell of the once cheerful boy.

"Mmm."

"He doesn't talk."

Roxas's stomach growled loudly.

"Or eat apparently."

After they had eaten Namine took him up to her room and looked him over.

"Okay Roxas. I'm going to help you. By Monday morning you'll be unrecognizable. Well… In a better way that you are now."

Roxas shook his head emphatically.

"You do want a chance with Axel right?"

Roxas froze.

"It was obvious Roxas. Well, to me anyhow. Now first thing's first. Get in the shower, wash your hair and get some sleep."

Roxas frowned.

"I will strip you and do it myself then drug you. You know I will."

Roxas stomped into her bathroom without any protest.

Namine smiled. That was more like it. She was going to restore the Roxas that she had left behind starting on the outside. Once he had his confidence the rest of him would come back. At least she was hoping it would.

After fifteen minutes she knocked on the bathroom door. "Rox? You decent?"

"Mmm."

She went in and froze. Roxas had a towel wrapped around his waist leaving his chest exposed.

"Holy… Roxas… How much do you work out? That's just incredible! I mean who would've thought? Wow. Just wow."

Roxas always spent hours at the local gym. He just liked the machines there and got a kick out of them for some reason.

Namine had never seen abs like his. He was pretty perfect. All he needed was a general clean up.

"Okay Roxas. Get some sleep now. You have horrid shadows under your eyes. You can have the guest room."

Roxas gathered up his clothes and followed her into the guest room. There she left him in peace, he pulled on his boxers, crawled into the bed and fell asleep instantly.

While he slept Namine planned her next move.

* * *

_And shazayam. There you go. No idea when the next bit goes up. _


	2. Chapter 2

_The chapters aren't that long I know but I wrote the whole thing in one sitting so yeah. I'm a silly._

_Disclaimer: Dun own them blah blah blah Disney blah blah blah Square Enix blah blah blah…_

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When Roxas awoke on Saturday morning sunlight was streaming through a gap in the curtains. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. That was the most sleep he'd had in at least a year. He checked the clock.

Eleven?!

He jumped out of bed and pulled his pants and shirt on and went downstairs. Namine was sitting in the bright living room in front of the T.V. She was watching… A movie of them as kids?

Roxas came up behind her and watched the much younger versions of him, Namine and Sora played together on the beach.

"What are you guys doing?" Aerith's voice said from behind the camera.

"Making the best and biggest sandcastle in the history of forever!" the little Roxas replied happily.

Sora grinned at the camera and pulled a silly face while Namine giggled.

"It's strange isn't it Roxas? Watching the you from all that time ago."

Roxas said nothing but watched as Sora tried to shake a crab from his foot while the younger him laughed himself silly on the sand.

"I used to come once a year. It's great that I live here now," Namine said quietly. "So much has changed though. Especially you Roxas."

"Hey Namine! Look at me!" the younger Roxas called as he dived off a rock into the sparkling blue sea.

"I used to have the biggest crush on you when we were younger," the present Namine said laughing slightly. "But you told me you weren't into girls. I cried for a few days but I got over it."

"I'm the king of the castle and you're a dirty rascal!" the little Sora yelled, perched on top of a large pile of sand.

"I'm not a dirty rascal! I had a bath this morning!" the little Roxas said indignantly and tackled his twin to the sand where they rolled around play fighting while Namine cheered Roxas on.

Namine sighed and turned the T.V and VCR off. When she turned to Roxas she was surprised to find him smiling, actually smiling. It was a rather wistful smile but still. It was a start.

She grabbed his arm and pulled him into the kitchen.

"Mom's gone out so we have the kitchen to ourselves. Can you make pancakes?"

Roxas shook his head.

"Oh you silly boy. Here, I'll teach you. And we need to talk about your eating habits too. You're too skinny and wiry. You do need more than just muscles you know."

While they ate their second batch of pancakes (Roxas had dropped the first lot) Namine lectured him about his diet.

"Even if you aren't hungry you still have to eat in the morning, even if it's just fruit or yogurt."

Roxas raised an eyebrow at her.

"I know you don't often have all that much in your fridge at home and according to Sora you usually eat take out. That's not good. You should do the shopping once I teach you what to buy."

Roxas raised his other eyebrow.

"Yes I know about your homework. But Sora and Larxene say you spend all your time doing extra credit rubbish. Cut down on that. You can afford to take a break. Use that time for you or for shopping. Heck, go to the market on the way home from school. Just buy the right stuff."

Roxas sighed and nodded.

"Good boy. Now are you done? We're going clothes shopping today."

Roxas's shoulders slumped.

"None of that Rox. Now come on."

Roxas was forcibly reminded of a mother.

He trudged around behind Namine as she browsed through store after store. She didn't bother with making him try things on but just bought whatever she happened to think would look good on him in his size.

"I made a whole heap of cash at my job back in Radiant Garden," Namine said conversationally over lunch in the food court. "This is nothing. And don't you dare try paying me back."

Roxas could deal with that.

She took him to the opticians and explained about his lost contact lenses. They agreed to replace them for half the cost.

She also decided that Roxas's old sneakers just weren't up to standard so she got him some black and white checkered converse sneakers.

"You used to love black and white checks Roxas," she said as she paid for them.

By the time they got back to Namine's it was about five o'clock. Aerith laughed when Roxas crashed onto the couch.

"Did my little shopaholic wear you out Rox?"

"Mmm," said Roxas, muffled by the couch.

Aerith and Namine laughed and got about to making dinner together. Namine made Roxas help.

"See Rox, this is a lasagna. They seem hard to make but they're not really. Watch."

Roxas watched as Namine and Aerith made the food. His photographic memory filed the information along with the method to make pancakes.

Over dinner Aerith got a kick out of Namine being able to figure out what Roxas meant by reading his body language and occasional 'Mmm' and respond accordingly.

Namine sent Roxas to bed at eight to catch up on his sleep. Roxas said nothing and just went upstairs, nodding in reply to Aerith's goodnight.

"I'm going to call Sora," Namine announced. "I need to know as much as possible about Roxas so I can help him more."

Aerith nodded. "Namine, why are you doing all this?"

"To help a friend. Also I just love playing cupid."

The next morning Roxas was awoken by a pillow to his face.

"Wake up lazy! Get in the shower and put on these," Namine ordered, dropping the pillow and shoving clothes at Roxas.

Roxas opened his eyes blearily and Namine shoved him into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.

He pulled off the pajama pants Namine had bought him and slid under the hot water. As usual his thoughts went straight to Axel. What was it about the guy that was so irresistible? He felt so pathetic for falling for him. But admittedly he had more of a chance than the girls of the school. Axel claimed that the closet cramped his style and had been out of it since eighth grade.

Roxas had only told a few people about his preferences.

He reluctantly shut the water off when a thump on the door informed him that Namine was getting impatient. He dried himself off and pulled on the clothes.

Black skinny jeans and a white tank top with a checkered pattern around the bottom. His pale skin almost matched the white of the top. He slid the new contacts in, blinked a few times, brushed his teeth and arranged his too long hair out of his face.

When he got downstairs Namine clapped appreciatively. "Much, much better. Now we just need to get you a little tanned, which is why we're having breakfast outside today. Come on! I made French toast," she said bossily and pushed him outside.

While they were eating Namine talked non-stop. She seemed to do that quite a lot.

"I called Sora last night. I can see why you don't get any sleep I could hear Larxene and Cloud screeching in the background the whole time. You go to bed far too late, get up too late, don't eat, don't do the laundry, do too much homework, loose your stuff, fall over, don't talk to anyone and forget to get your hair cut. Also your house is a tip. I'm going to sort out all of these today. Except your house. You and your siblings can do that."

Roxas looked slightly surprised.

"Yes. I can do that. You just watch."

Roxas swallowed his French toast. Today was going to be either very interesting or very tiring. Or maybe both.

Namine decided that he should go get into his swimming shorts that she got him. She also changed into her swimming attire, which was a white tankini.

"This way you can get a nice tan and get organized," she told him as they went back outside.

She wrote him a daily and weekly shopping list.

"So you can either get everything all in one go or just for a day depending on what you feel like."

She also taught him how to do his laundry. She gave him a bunch of recipes for lunches too.

"Don't buy from the school cafeteria. Firstly because it's just extra money and secondly because you never know _what_ you're eating."

She decided to make him a weekly schedule.

"Once you get into this routine you won't need to check this all the time," she said as she gave him the poster.

After three o'clock she had organized everything. Except the one thing she had wanted to do all weekend.

So she did it.

She finally gave Roxas a haircut.

Roxas stared at himself in the mirror. He was unrecognizable, just as Namine had said. He looked more like the boy in Sora's photo than ever. His skin had tanned slightly, his eyes were visible without his hair and glasses covering them, he could finally see where he was going and Namine had styled his hair just how he liked it.

"See Roxas? What did I tell you?"

He grinned. "Thanks Namine."

She squealed in delight and threw herself at him, hugging him hard.

"We have our Roxas back!" she said sounding slightly choked up.

Roxas laughed slightly.

You've really only got half of me back Namine. Only fifty percent.

* * *

_Nawww, I love a happy bit. Next chapter will be around… Sooner or later._


	3. Chapter 3

_My God, you would not believe how freaking hot it is right now. Summer has begun and dammit it seems to hate me. I burnt my feet on the pavement… It hurt…_

_**Disclaimer**__: I don't own the characters but I seriously wish I owned Vexen. Icy powers would be absolutely fantastic right now…_

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The alarm clock rang at seven AM. Roxas opened his eyes. It was Monday. Today everyone was going to see the new old him. He took a deep breath and swung his legs out of bed. Then the earliness of the hour hit him and he flopped back onto the bed.

"Nuh-uh Roxas!" came Namine's voice and a cup of icy cold water was poured onto Roxas's face.

"ACK!" a sopping wet Roxas screeched.

"In the shower Roxas," the little blonde said uninterestedly.

Roxas stomped to the bathroom and banged the door shut in a manner rather like Larxene's.

Namine smiled. This morning was Roxas's test. If he could get ready, eat and wait by the door by the time Aerith was ready to give them a lift to school then he would have passed.

Meanwhile Roxas was struggling to keep awake in the shower. He hadn't gotten up at seven since his mom used to…

The stab of pain that came then almost made him keel over.

Mom…

He got shakily out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist. He pulled on a pair of black skinny jeans, a black tank top and a black and white-checkered button up shirt that he left open. He then grabbed some stripy socks and pulled on his new sneakers.

Namine was sitting in the kitchen drinking a smoothie. She thrust the recipe at him and pointed to the blender. Roxas rolled his eyes impressively but got the ingredients together and flung them into the blender then managed to drink the whole thing in about three mouthfuls.

Now what did he do? He saw Namine opening the fridge and making a sandwich. Right, he had to make his lunch. He stood beside Namine and made a ham, cheese and tomato sandwich. Then Namine passed him some crackers and a juice box. He put all of these into a plastic bag and then packed it into his school bag. He really felt like a primary school kid again.

Namine pointed back upstairs, then at his hair. He sighed and trekked back upstairs and into the bathroom. He rubbed a little gel onto his hands and began styling his hair into its casually messing spikes. Once he was done he gave it a spritz of hairspray to keep it up. Then he brushed his teeth, slipped his contacts in and stumped back downstairs where Namine was waiting by the door.

He didn't expect the spine snapping tackle hug she gave him, which knocked him to the ground.

"Oh my God Roxas! You did it!" she cried happily.

Oh my God Namine! There went my spine! Roxas thought sarcastically.

Aerith wandered around the corner and stopped dead when she saw Roxas and pretended to have a heart attack. "Roxas! You look so much erm, better, no offense or anything…"

Roxas grinned from his position on the floor while Namine got off him.

Namine sighed. "Say thanks Roxas."

Roxas gave Aerith a thumbs up.

Namine pouted. He still didn't want to talk that much.

As they drove closer to school Roxas felt more and more nervous. What if everyone laughed at him or called him a wannabe? What if Axel laughed at him? He didn't think he could take it.

When Aerith pulled up she turned around in the seat. "Don't worry Roxas. You look fantastic and it's been nice seeing you again honey, literally since you got that new haircut. If things get too much at your place you're more than welcome at our place okay?"

Roxas smiled. "Thanks."

Aerith's face lit up at the rare word from him. Then Namine pushed him out the car.

As they walked up to the school doors the kids hanging around in front of the school stopped to stare. Roxas tried to ignore that.

"OH MY GOD! ROXAS!" Sora yelled as they entered the hall.

This of course prompted all the people at the lockers lining the walls to turn and stare at him. Everything went silent.

Sora pelted up to them. "Roxas! Oh god, you look so amazing! Did Namine do this?"

Namine giggled and grinned. 'Yup. I brought back our Roxas."

Sora hugged her then went back to examining Roxas. Gushing about his hair, his clothes and the contacts.

"Sora, I need my books," Roxas said quietly.

Sora reeled back. "He even talks! And his voice has broken, when did that happen?"

Roxas gave him an irritated glance before pushing past him to get to his locker. Whispers and giggles followed him until he reached his locker. He checked his timetable, grabbed the right books and slipped them into his bag. Then Namine hooked her arm through his and dragged him off to their first class which was Xaldin's math class.

"We have P.E next Roxas and you aren't getting out of it with that lame glasses excuse. You have contacts now," Namine told him bossily as she dragged him through the door.

There were four other students in the room. Hayner, Pence, Olette and Selphie. They all stopped what they were doing to stare.

Then Hayner wolf whistled. "Wow, Roxas!"

Roxas flushed. "Thanks."

Olette gasped. "He actually said something! Namine, what did you do?"

Namine just grinned happily.

As the rest of the class filed in Roxas couldn't help but notice one of Axel's best friends Demyx. Axel was a year above Demyx and Roxas but he, like Zexion had been moved up because he'd not been challenged enough.

Demyx did a double take when he saw Roxas and sauntered over like he had all the time in the world.

"So Namine, I've been hearing the buzz about this all morning. What did you do to the little guy?" he said good-naturedly.

Namine laughed. "Oh just polished him up a little. Doesn't he clean up good?"

Demyx laughed. "That he does. Geez, if I'd known what a looker the little guy is I mighta thought twice about hooking up with Zexy."

Roxas frowned. He didn't really like the way Demyx was talking about him.

"I'm kidding little guy, I love me some Zexy. Speaking of which, I have a text from him. Later days guys."

"My name's Roxas. Not little guy," Roxas muttered loudly enough for Demyx to hear.

"Oh, sorry Roxas… Wait, you spoke?!"

"Mmm," Roxas hummed in reply.

As the class went on Roxas thought about Demyx. He hung around Axel and when he caught Zexion (literally, he'd asked him out during P.E during a mock track race) he dragged Zexion into their group too.

That's how it worked. There was Axel then Axel's best friends then their love interests and friends and then their friends friends. That's how their group worked. That's how Axel's popularity worked.

Roxas had a feeling that Namine had slotted into their group too, judging from Demyx's friendly greeting. Also she'd walked off with Axel last Friday at the end of lunch right?

Then the bell rang and Roxas's mood blackened. He hated P.E so much. It wasn't that he's not fit (It _really_ isn't. Abs remember?). It was that he hated getting changed in front of other people. This entire half-year he'd managed to get out of P.E, a note scrawled from Larxene had saved his butt. She'd made him clean her room for a month but it had been worth it.

Now he was going to throw all that room cleaning away…

Namine thrust his kit bag at him and pushed him into the boys locker room and gave him a look that said, if I don't see you in your sports gear when I'm done changing I will either flip my lid or change you myself and you know I would do it too.

So he took in a deep breath and entered the locker room.

He found a virtually empty spot over in the corner and began removing the checkered shirt. It was then that Hayner struck.

"Hey Roxas! You're actually going to join us for P.E? No way!" he'd practically shouted, slapping Roxas on the back.

Roxas winced as pretty much everyone's eyes flicked to him.

"Hayner…" he muttered.

"Oh right, sorry man, you get changed," Hayner said with a laugh and pulled his own gray t-shirt over his head, apparently content to change right next to Roxas.

Roxas shrugged the checked shirt off his shoulders and stuffed it into the bag. Then he pulled the tank top off and Hayner just had to look then.

"Holy crap Roxas!"

Roxas instinctively clutched the tank top to his chest.

"Dude, how much do you work out? That's insane, I mean who would've thought?"

Roxas felt his face going red. "I just like the gym machines," he murmured.

"You must like them a lot to get abs like that, man I'm jealous!"

Roxas shrugged then noticed, to his absolute and complete horror that Hayner was wearing the navy blue school swimming shorts. He looked around. Everyone was.

They were swimming for P.E.

He reluctantly pulled out the shorts and waited until everyone was gone before pulling them on. Then he found a spare locker and jammed him stuff in there before exiting the locker room and banging into Namine who was wearing the regulation bathing suit with a towel wrapped around her waist.

She handed him a towel and he gratefully pulled it around his shoulders.

Then she dragged him to the outdoor pool.

When Roxas got there he felt a twinge of excitement. He did like swimming, that was true but why did he have to swim with all his classmates?

"Namine! Roxas! Over here!" a voice called.

"Oh look, its Demyx and Tidus, come on Roxas!" Namine said happily and hauled him over to where they were sitting.

Demyx greeted them with a cheeky smile while Tidus just grinned at Namine. Roxas sniffed. Tidus clearly had a bit of a crush on her.

"Will wonders never stop?"

"Its cease Demyx. The term is will wonders never cease," Tidus said knowingly, shooting a glance at Namine to see if she was impressed.

"Right, whatever. But seriously Roxas, you want a better tan? Then get rid of that towel," Demyx said laughingly.

Roxas, if anything, pulled the towel tighter around his shoulders.

Then coach Lexaeus blew his whistle and the chatter stopped. "Alright, today we'll be doing relay races. Demyx and Hayner are team captains."

This was the oh so dreadful time of picking teams.

Just as the class was lining up to be picked Coach Lexaeus spotted Roxas.

"Strife! Take that towel off and put it on the benches!" he yelled. "Oh and it's good to have you in class for once," he added in more pleasant tones.

Roxas padded over to the bench and let the towel slide off. Then the gasps and whispers started as he made his way back to the line.

"That's just plain hot," he heard Selphie mutter.

"I thought he'd be the stick type of guy," Pence hissed to Olette.

Even Lexaeus looked momentarily surprised. "Right, anyway. Captains, Demyx picks first."

"I want Roxas!" Demyx said quickly.

"No fair Demyx!" Hayner irritably.

Demyx just stuck his tongue out.

Soon all the teams had been sorted and the two lines were standing at the diving blocks. Roxas was standing about halfway down the line between Tidus and a blonde girl who had introduced herself in a whisper as Rikku.

Wonder why she hadn't introduced herself before today, Roxas had thought sarcastically.

Soon it was becoming apparent that their team was behind. Roxas felt his body begin to twitch and he realized he wanted to get into that water and help. Because Roxas was a pretty dang good swimmer, even if he'd never told anyone.

Finally it was his turn. He stepped up to the block and dived in, feeling the cool water on his skin and hearing the peace below the surface. Then he surfaced and the shouts and cheers assaulted his ears but he ignored them and plowed through the water like a torpedo. He overtook the other team's member easily and was soon way ahead. Then he tagged the person waiting at the other end and as they dived in he was pulled out by his teammates and met with smiles and praise.

They never bothered before, he thought to himself.

Later the bell rang and it was morning interval. He left the gym flanked by Demyx and Tidus who were trying to convince him to join the swim team. Namine beamed when she spotted them and hurried over.

"You guy's gonna meet up with Axel?" she asked casually.

"Nah, he's got some dumb student council thing to go to. He got elected for president again and he's trying to worm his way out of it," Demyx said with a laugh.

"Ah, gotcha," Namine said. "Well we'll catch up with you in Xiggy's class. Later guys!"

They parted Namine and Roxas went to sit on the library steps.

"See Roxas? Isn't this great? Everyone likes you!"

"Yeah but they didn't before."

Namine sighed and grabbed Roxas's chin and turned his head to face her. "That's because you weren't you before. You were a kinda creepy empty shell."

"But I'm still not me Namine."

"But you're getting there right? The way you told Demyx off for not using your name, that was just like the Roxas I used to know."

Roxas smiled slightly.

She was right.

* * *

_Hope you liked it. Enjoy your day now._


	4. Chapter 4

_Thank Seka-chan for even the existence of this chapter. I was gonna pull the whole thing down because I don't like it much. But she bribed me with a sneaky peak at her story so… Here it is._

_**Disclaimer of Relative Normalcy:** I don't own the characters in this story. The song is _'Summer of '69' _by Bryan Adams_

* * *

"Woah! That depressing blonde kid is like… Dude…" Xigbar had said cheerfully in mock surprise.

Roxas inched down in his seat, wishing Xigbar hadn't said anything. Demyx who had dragged him up to the middle of the classroom to sit by him laughed and punched him playfully on his shoulder.

"Anyway dudes and dudettes let's start eh?"

Roxas left that class feeling thoroughly fed up. He wanted to go and sit in the library and be left alone. Sure he was more himself than ever but his social skills were dreadful. He'd had little or no social contact with anyone except his family for ages and talking to people was difficult. Every single time someone spoke to him he'd either jump or assume they were talking to someone else.

"Hey man, what's your next class?" Demyx asked.

"Creative Writing," Roxas muttered.

"Aww, what a jip. I got Music," Demyx said sadly. "Well, I'll catch you outside your class and we can have lunch with the other guys! Later Roxas!" he called as he ran off in the other direction.

"The other guys?" Roxas repeated quietly and questioningly. Would Axel be there?

He sighed and went into his class and took his usual seat at the back of the room in the corner by the window. Best seat in the room.

"Roxas!"

He repressed the urge to groan in irritation and looked up.

It was that Rikku girl.

"Hi there Roxas! Why don't you come sit down with my friends and me? Yuna has been dying to talk to you!"

Roxas blinked. "But I've already sat down…"

"Then we'll come sit with you! Is that okay?"

No it's not! Roxas thought. "Yeah sure. Okay," is what he said though.

She giggled. "Great!" and she dashed off to grab two girls, a friendly looking one with light brown hair and a rather scary girl who seemed to like skulls.

"Roxas, this is Yuna and Payne."

A rather fitting name Roxas thought but smiled at them. "Hey."

"Hi Roxas," Yuna said shyly.

Payne just nodded curtly.

Rikku snagged the seat by Roxas and Yuna sat in the seat in front of him. Payne sat next to Rikku.

Roxas pulled his exercise book out of his bag and began to write.

_I've often heard from many_

_That to change to something new_

_You must give up something vital_

_Something special about you_

_But what if it isn't worth it?_

_When your transformation is complete_

_You realize you are unhappy _

_Even though you are elite_

_Is changing for someone else_

_A noble thing to do?_

_Or should you stay with yourself_

_And stick to what makes you_

_You._

He stared at the poem for a while and wondered where it had come from. All his doubts were in there. What had he given up to change? So far all he'd lost was his privacy. Did that count? He glanced up at the clock and realized with some surprise that the single poem had taken him nearly all of the class time.

He carefully packed his things away and stared out the window. There was a class doing gym out there. He watched as one student tripped and fell before being hauled up, laughing by a friend.

Then the bell rang and he jumped out of his skin.

"So Roxas, what did you write about?" Yuna asked.

"Oh er… My doubts I guess…" Roxas said uncertainly. "It felt good to get them all out."

Yuna gazed at him in delight. "That is so sweet! I've never met a guy who admits to having doubts or uncertainties!"

Rikku laughed. "Careful Roxas, you may have earned yourself a stalker."

Roxas inclined his head politely. "I have to go. Demyx."

"Aww, we were gonna steal you to sit with us…" Rikku said sadly.

Roxas had no idea what to say so he waved and slipped out the door. He was just leaning against the wall trying to figure out what the hell had happened when Demyx seized his arm.

"Hey Axel! I found him!"

Roxas was torn between freezing or running away and jamming himself into a locker.

Then two burning emerald eyes were suddenly connected with his and a musky, smoky scent reached him. A cat like smirk spread across a perfect face and breath that smelt like cinnamon blew into his face.

"Hey cutie."

Roxas blinked a few times. "Hi there."

Axel looked him up and down. "Oh, you clean up well huh sweetie?"

"Roxas."

Axel looked at him curiously. "Eh?"

"My name. I'm Roxas. Feel free to actually use it."

The laugh that escaped those perfect lips made something lurch in Roxas's chest. It made him want to make the red haired king of the school laugh again just to hear it again.

"He's a little spunk huh Dem?" Axel said cheerfully.

Demyx grinned.

"C'mon Roxy, you're sitting with me for lunch," Axel said holding out a hand to Roxas.

"My name's Roxas," Roxas said, hanging his head so Axel wouldn't see his rampant blushing.

"That it is, now come on!" Axel said, grabbing Roxas by the arm and towing him towards the flagpole.

Roxas allowed himself to be pulled, Demyx striding happily beside him, laughing at the sight. The king of school pulling the newly hot student along to lunch. It really was a sight to see.

"Oh wow! Who's this Axel?" a girl with long brown hair and a sizeable chest asked.

"It's the creepy kid from the Library!" Axel said gleefully.

"It's Roxas," the 'creepy kid from the Library' muttered.

The brown haired girl introduced herself as Tifa and dragged poor Roxas to sit next to her. Then Axel sat down next to him so he had boobs on one side and hotness on the other.

It wasn't exactly the best place to be…

Namine snuck over and was greeted with hugs and cries of welcome. Roxas envied her. She had gotten accepted this well in such a short amount of time by just being herself. He had to change his whole appearance…

Wait, no. Namine said he had changed back. He was himself. Sort of. He would be accepted if he actually acted like he was Roxas. Then he wouldn't feel like some uncomfortable outcast.

"Hey lil bud… Roxas! Like singing?" Demyx asked all of a sudden, producing a guitar from his music bag.

"Uh… Yeah?" Roxas replied tentatively.

Namine clapped. "Oh Roxas is great!"

"Nami!"

She turned her big baby blue eyes on him. "But you are Roxas! Remember when we were kids? When Riku used to play his guitar and you'd sing?"

* * *

_"Hey Riku brought his guitar!" Sora called from over by the Paopu tree._

_Riku just stood there and did his funny little half smile as the sunset played with his silvery hair, the guitar slung over his shoulder by the strap._

_Roxas, Namine and Kairi all ran over, tripping over themselves to get to the little island with the tree._

_They all sat under the tree, all feeling like this was a special occasion. Riku, at thirteen was considered 'cool' and when he joined in with you, you felt special._

_When Riku began playing, just simple chords, nothing too flashy Roxas had felt this wonderful feeling well up inside him as the notes tumbled from his lips. _

_They had packed up when the moon was high in the sky, dowsing the campfire and returning home, sleepy and sandy. They had never had a night quite like that again. Just them, the fire, the stars and the music._

* * *

What songs had they sung again?

Roxas grinned. "Know Summer of '69?"

Demyx grinned. "Adams. I like it."

"_Got my first real six string," _Roxas began. _"Bought it at the Five-And-Dime."_

A hush spread across the group. Namine was sitting bolt upright, her eyes shining.

This was the last song they had sung all those nights ago.

"_Played it 'til my fingers bled," _she joined in.

"_It was the summer of '69"_ Demyx jumped in.

Soon they were all singing together. Roxas caught Axel's eye and saw him grinning back and singing alone too, even if he wasn't all that good at it.

It did feel kind of good now…

When the bell rang they packed up after going through several more songs.

"See you Rox."

"Later lil bud… Roxas!"

"Bye bye sweetie!"

Namine smiled. "I'll meet you after school okay Roxas?"

Axel clapped him on the back. "I'll see you around Roxy."

Roxas laughed. "That's Roxas!"

* * *

_Annnnnnnd sorry for the shortness but… Y'know. Kinda hit a wall with this one for a while…And yes. Sucky poetry sucks… _


End file.
